Run and Hide
by VanillaAshes
Summary: The new president decides to rid anything that relates to the Hunger Games - including the victors. After many years of getting enough people to vote 'yes' it happens. Katniss and Peeta escape with their two children, but will they be safe? Can Gale help?
1. Chapter 1

Katniss' eyes flew open from the front door opening downstairs, she hit awake her husband Peeta. She heard someone move, and then realised there was more then one. Peeta was alert; he became worried when Katniss told him the emergence phrase 'survival hunger'.

Both adult moved silently putting clothes on over their pyjamas and heading through hidden doors on opposite sides of the room, Katniss to their daughters room; Pearl and Peeta to their sons room; Cinna.

Katniss POV

I got through the secret door into Pearls room and instantly woke her up; she saw the fear in my eyes and seemed to know exactly what was going on. She was 9 and exactly like me in personality, although a much better actress. As I collected out emergency backpack from the wall, I saw her pulling thick, dark brown trousers over her legs, A thin dark brown jumpers and her black coat around her zipping it up fully, she pulled her socks on quickly and her trainers were soon to follow, I saw her pull a black backpack from under her bed and put it on her back; she's always scared about being taken away, I guess now it's a good thing.

We rush into her closet and go down the trap door looking it from our side afterwards and run down through the mud tunnel, at one point we have to crawl because it has collapsed but we get to the forest in record time anyway. As we climb out Pearl doesn't hesitate to start running in the direction of our meeting place with Peeta, when we get there, he isn't, he had a simpler route and should have been here. Pearl hits my arm and points upwards, it Cinna, he climbs down and tells us that there were people coming towards us, Peeta is distracting, he said to tell me to split up. Cinna is 5, I can not separate from him even though he is the most likely to be taken pity on and given a new life.

Pearl opens my backpack while I calm down Cinna, I know what she's doing and I don't stop her…

Pearl's POV

Dad said we all have to split up, if we go separately it's hard to track and more people to follow, when I see Mum hug Cinna, I know she can't leave him alone, he's only 5 and cried for hours when he saw how big the forest was a few weeks ago. I go into my Mums backpack and she doesn't stop me, I collect my individual supply of food and put it in my back, I also collect my selected weapons attaching them to my trousers. After I've zipped her bag up, I stoke her arm and venture off, my destination; another district.

I'm about to go through the forest and district un-noticed and get to the train station just as the sun is rising, the train is about to leave and I'm able to get on. I carefully walk through and slither into a baggage holder, I remember my Dad telling me that no one uses these ones as they are used to hold dead bodies, but there are none here, I just hope I can get out of it quickly.

I end up falling asleep, bad idea I should have stayed alert, but minutes later the train stops, I see it's clear and run out onto the new train station. I carry on running until I get to the toilets and hide in one of the cubicles, on the way I noticed I was in district 2.

I go into my bag and get out my _people book_, my Dad made it for me to know who I can trust. I flip to the chapter for district 2, there's a few people here but one stands out, Gale Hawthorne, I remember my Dad telling me if we have to use the tunnels, it's a life or death situation and he'll protect me. Now all I have to do is work out how to get there.

A lot of people say I look a lot like my Mum, especially when I'm dressed in black. Although I eat more then she did and still does so have chubby checks and my check bones are not as noticeable. I'm still quite skinny though as I do a lot of exercise, I love the forest just as much as she does.

I must remember what my Mum told me, wait a minute, I took notes. I got out the notes and read them carefully. _Make sure nobody can identify you as part of the family_. That is the most important when they want to kill me and my family. I change into a pink summer dress and use water from the sink to make sure I have no mud on me. I clip my hair back and take out my pink backpack and carefully put in the essentials, its smaller then my black one. Once done I bin all my old clothes and backpack and leave.

I know it's unusual for a 9 year old to be walking alone so I pretend I'm looking for one, I notice a newspaper ad about **Hawthorne organisation**, I see a picture of Gale, he's very well-known here, hopefully it will be easier to find him. Maybe I could just ask someone, I see an old women sitting by herself on a bench and sit next to her. She looks at me and I smile sweetly receiving a smile back.

"It's a lovely day today" she says to me

"It's beautiful" I say smiling "I'm glad I asked to walk" I falter at the end of the sentence looking down at my feet, a little shocked as I forgot I was wearing white dolly shoes.

"What's the matter, why would you be sad to be walking?" she asks concerned

"I told my parents I could walk there by myself, they were running late, but I can't remember where to go. They'll get worried" I say forcing myself to tear up as I was speaking, but talking about parents made to start to cry anyway.

"Oh dear! It's OK, where do you need to go?" she asks, handing me a tissue

"I can't remember, I only remember who we are meeting" I say using the tissue to clear my eyes,

"Well, maybe I know them" she says nicely

"I think his name is Gale Hawthorne. Do you know him" I ask hopeful looking into her eyes

"Mr Hawthorne?" she asks shocked "Well ofcorse, he's down so much for us since the rebellion, you must be going to his home, he works from home on weekends."

"Yes, I remember my Mum saying something about that, no wonder I couldn't get there. I'm so lost" I look down at my dolly shoes again as she begins to talk

"No your not sweetie" I look up to her as she gives me directions, apparently it's not far.

"Thank you so much" I say happily as I hug her

I walk in the direction she told me and after about 10 minutes find a huge house with guards at the door, I'm too scared to go up to them, they're holding guns and looks really mean. I walk down abit and sneak through the fence, I just fit. I see a window open on the first floor which is right next to a tree; perfect.

I've climbed many trees before but my Mum was always there to help or catch me, I nervously made my way up the tree and through the window, I ended up in a bathroom. I carefully opened the door to see a large staircase, I noticed a girl younger then me by a few years but older then Cinna watching two men having an argument, one of them was Gale, I snuck out and head behind a pillar. I was shocked about what I heard;

"How dare you try to kill them!"

"I'm sorry Hawthorne, I had no choice! Either I agreed or my wife and baby are dead!"

"You could have warned me! She could be dead! She has two children!"

"I know, I'll give you updates I promise, my family is safe now"

"It might be too late now! I should have been able to warn them. Where are they?" Gale's voice was faltering, he's sad

"We don't know, they escaped. They nearly had Peeta but he disappeared. They had underground tunnels from their children rooms leading to the forest. We have no idea, they are still in district 12, all trains have been stopped"

"So they are trapped, unless they get to district 13"

"Yes, once there, they are safe and we can't do anything, can they make it?"

"I know Katniss can, but she has children now. Is there any other way they'll be safe?" he asks, I can tell he's thinking

"As long as they are in district 12, we can kill them. Anywhere else, they're safe."

"You should have warned me, you just put children the same age as some of my children to death!"

"I'm sorry, I'll send updates." With that the man who helped people try and kill my family walked out.

"Dad?" I heard the girl say

I carefully looked around the pillar to see Gale holding the girl close, maybe it's his son. There's no one else here, I guess I might aswell ask him to protect me now.

As I step out from behind the pillar his eyes instantly see me as he moves his daughter behind him.

"Who are you?" He asks scarily, but not loud enough to alert anyone of my presents

"I… I was told… I could" I stumble, I don't know what to say, I might aswell just hope he really does like my Mum and Dad and isn't a person to randomly start an argument for fun. "I'm P… P… My Mum is … I … well…" I can't say it, he's eyes are scary.

"Well? Who are you?" he asks slowly, a tad friendlier by my nervousness

"Pearl" I reply simply, he still stares at me, he doesn't know what my Mum named me "I'm Katniss' daughter" I whisper out, he hears it because the next thing I know I'm in he's protective arms. I cling onto him for dear life.

"Don't worry, you're safe now" he pulls back and looks at me properly "Do you know where your family is?"

I shake my head "We split up, harder to track. Mum went with Cinna, he's 5 and terrified of the woods. Dad disappeared right at the beginning, he said to split up. I snuck on the train at sunrise and hid."

"Just before they stopped all trains" he said thoughtfully

Katniss' POV

After my daughter leaves I stand up, I know she can take care of herself, I just hope she doesn't panic. I pick up Cinna with one hand as he grips onto me tightly with his legs and arms. Using one hand I climb the trees and move between, making my way to district 13, the only one we will be able to get to on foot hidden. District 11 will be impossible.

I received a letter from Gale years ago informing us that every week they have to vote to see if all victors should be terminated to rid any memory of the Hunger Games. He told us to be ready, it didn't happen, I never received another letter, I'm glad I still trusted him otherwise we would have had no escape.

Cinna and I had been travelling for around 4 days without being court, we had been moving for an hour for the day when we heard voices, a lot of loud voices, I picked Cinna up and climbed a tree edging closer while Cinna held on silently, I was surprised to what I saw. 3 victors were in the barriers of district 13 unharmed; Annie, Haymitch and Johanna along with a lot of soldier yelling at the soldiers on district 12 to go away. There was about 15 metres of short grass to get through to be able to reach district 13, plenty of time to kill both Cinna and I.

I catch eyes with one of the soldiers who are here to kill us, I reading myself to run, expecting him to expose us, but he doesn't he winks at me! That's when I realise I use to go to school with him. He looks away from my location and shots towards something that is nowhere near us. Everyone looks towards where he shot.

"Katniss has dark brown hair, right? Well nice to know she still has it in a braid he laughs walking into the forest. A lot of the other soldiers laugh and run in after him, I realise that all except one move deep into the forest… I get my stun gun, it would stun the person for 10 minutes, plenty of time but can be noisy at times. I had to take the chance, I hear more gun shots. Now's my chance.

I shot the last soldier and leg it across the short field seeing the surprise in a lot of district 13s faces. I jumped over the fence not bothering to use the gate and ran abit further stopping at Haymitch

"Took your time sweetheart" he joked

"Is Peeta or Pearl here?" I ask instantly seeing his face fall slightly

"No one has heard or seen Peeta, we thought you might have regrouped before you got here. Would he of went somewhere else?"

"I don't know. What about Pearl, is she OK, is she here, is she safe, where is she?"

"She's safe. She turned up at Gale's house around 2pm on the day the order went out."

He informed me, I gawked at him, putting Cinna down, not knowing if I could still stand as I asked

"Gales?"

He simply nodded letting me take it in

"How did she even get there?"

"We talk to Gale constantly, he is still looking after her, want me to arrange a video chat?" he asked, it surprised me that he sounded sober

I nodded "How did she even know where he was"

"It seems Peeta told her in a life or death situation, get to Gales. She got onto the last running train before they shut them down and Gale says she was in his house and told him who she was. Apparently she climbed up a tree into the bathroom through the window."

"Peeta told her?"

"Come on, let's go inside. Finnick Jr is desperate for someone who isn't an adult" he joked again, this time I gave him a small smile as he led us.

Peeta POV

When I got back to the meeting point, Cinna was gone, I could only hope Katniss found him, but I couldn't be sure. I headed in the direction of the lake, surely district 13 will send someone to check there, it's the place Gale took them for safety, it was also a safe point we devised with a children. If they split up, Katniss would stay with Cinna and I'm positive Pearl would go here, she's not very resourceful, she always needs my help. I love it, I love her depending on me but now I must help her! I get there and I find soldiers, lots of them, before I can even turn away, I have 10 guns pointed directly at me.

"Where's my daughter?" I ask

"His daughter's close by, get her!" I see half a dozen soldiers move into the forest

"No!" I go to strike but suddenly fall down to the ground, I can't feel my body, suddenly my world goes black.

Gale's POV

I had just convinced the government not to kill the children. The agreed to bring all the children on victors to my house when captured and then arrangements will be made for a new permanent family. I decided it's a start and video called district 13, it got answered by Finnick Jr.

"Hello, are there any adults there?" I ask, knowing his answer, he always says the same thing

"I'm the only child here! Do you think I'll be left alone!" he sounds annoyed, so I amuse him

"But your 17, practical an adult know anyway!"

"Thank you! At least somebody understands" he expresses suddenly he squeals in delight "Finally!" he disappears from view, must be lunch.

He's replaced by Haymitch who looks slightly less worried

"Gale, just about to call you, but before I talk, why did you call?"

"Only the victors are in danger now. All of there children are not targets and if spotted will be brought to my house. I'm still working on the rest of it but it's a start" say without hesitation

"That's great, I'll get word out to everyone hiding."

"OK, why were you going to call me?" I ask and see his face lighten a bit, must be good news, suddenly he disappears from view and Katniss sits down looking like hell "Katniss!" I virtually scream seeing her

"Hi Gale" she says simply, I look at her and she seems really tired. "I heard Pearl is there"

"Yes, don't worry she's safe. She'll be thrilled to know you're safe. Is Peeta and Cinna there with you?" I inform and ask, unfortunately I know I can't keep the disgust out of my voice saying Peeta's name but my voice softens so much when saying Cinna's name that I'm shocked

"Cinna is with me, Annie is taking him for a bath and somewhere to rest. I haven't seen Peeta since they came" she informs me

"I think you should rest aswell, I don't want to be rude, but I don't think it's the best thing to let Pearl see you like that" I try to sound nice

I see her take a deep breath as she thinks before finally nodding "I'll clean up and sleep for a few hours."

I smile at her and she smiles slightly before being replaced by Haymitch, I watch as Johanna offers to help her and they walk off.

Pearls POV

I've been at Gales for 5 days now and still haven't heard anything about my Mum and Dad and Cinna. What if they're being tortured right now? Before I went sleep Gale told me that only the victors are targeted and their children won't be. So it means that Cinna and I won't be killed. But what if he's already laying face down dead.

I fall asleep even more worried as tomorrow will be day 6.

It felt as if I just closed my eyes when Gale woke me up and 5am, he took me into his office, I spoke to Haymitch and Annie a couple of times and Finnick a lot. I don't know why I'm going there, maybe they changed there mind and are coming to kill me. It's only when I get to the computer screen and see my Mum that I smile

"Mum?" I ask

"Hello, how are you?" she asks and I grin to her voice

"I'm fine, I am, Gale has taken great care of me and he has children too. He has 5, they are all names after trees; Oak is 13, Cedar is 10, Hazel is 7, Poplar and Elm are 4. Poplar and Elm are twins but they are nothing alike. I mostly spend my time with Cedar and Hazel but they are all fun and as it is the summer they are not at school. We stay in the house or backyard just in case. But now that I'm not targeted we can go out, not that we need to. Gale has a huge swimming pool in his home, it's great. I can't wait for you to see it. The place is so big, I still sometimes get lost but not much now. I was so worried about and Dad and Cinna, are you all OK, you didn't get hurt did you? I was scared that you would have looked for me, but you know I can take care of myself, I followed the exact route you told me and nobody saw me. I hid in the dead people space on the train. What are we going to do? Will more people die?" I say to her, I'm so excited I don't really think about what I'm saying until I release it's not a game, we are in trouble, my Mum hasn't mentioned Cinna or Dad

"I don't know, Cinna is safe and on his way to you"

"What about Dad?" I interrupted her

"I don't know where he is, nobody does" she looked down

"He'll turn up, I'm sure he did. You came, you were fine!" I try convincing her, I try to be the strong one but know my eyes are tearing up. Gale picks me up and puts me on his lap for comfort "Mum?"

She looks up at me and sees my face, her face slowly hides most emotions, she then speaks sternly, making sure I listen "You are going to stay with Gale. If your Father and I don't make it, you will live with him. We have already agreed that he'll take care of you and if he needs to full custody of you."

"Mum, why are you telling me this?" I whisper letting the tears fall down my face freely now

"Promise me you'll be good for him" she says suddenly I hear banging from her end, she doesn't seem surprised "Remember I love you"

"Mum, I love you too, don't leave me" I scream at her

"Be good for Gale!" she says again as the wall behind her explodes seconds before the screen turns black

"No! MUM! NO! COME BACK! MUM!" I feel like I can't breath, I shouting for her to come back knowing she won't, she's gone. I turn around and cry into Gale's chest. How did she know she was going to die? Why didn't she run? Gale is creating circles on my back and I feel myself falling asleep on him.

Cinna's POV

My Mum ran into where I was sleeping and woke me. She told me we're not safe, I need to get away from her, it doesn't matter where we are. She picked me up and pushed me onto a hovercraft and closed the door. Finnick was holding me away from the door as I desperately tried to open it for her, he was sobbing aswell as the hovercraft launched off. I kept screaming and kicking and yelling, anything I could think off until I found myself falling asleep.

I woke up in a big bed with cream sheets, I get out of the bed and open the door.

"Mummy? Daddy? Pearly?" I shout and it's quiet for a second when I see a boy a lot older then me.

"Hello, I'm Cedar. You're Cinna, right?" I nod "Come on, want me to take you to your sister?" I nod again and he takes my hand leading me down stairs into a large room with a really big and long couch.

I see her, she's sitting there, reading a book "Pearly!" I yell running towards her as she turns and pulls me into a hug.

"Where's Mummy and Daddy?" I ask her to see her tearing up, I repeat the question more desperately "Where's Mummy and Daddy?"

"Cinna, they're not here. They're never coming back" she tells me

"LIAR, YOU'RE LYING!" I scream at her watching tears to start to flow down her checks "Please, tell me you're lying" I beg, when she doesn't answer I run away from her, past a man and hide under the first table I come across.

Finick's POV

She's dead, they found her body today. She is getting buried in the same place as the other victors. Peeta was one of the first buried, he didn't even make it out of the forest. All the victors that got to district 13 were killed and getting buried tomorrow, we're not allowed to go, they are broadcasting it. There was only 3 other children of victors that survived, Gale has taken all of them in. Cinna is still the youngest and I the oldest of the victor children…

I wonder if this was worse then doing the hunger games… broadcasting the burial of survivors…

_**Authors' Note:**_

_**Thank you so much for reading  
Please review – I'd love to know what you thought**_


	2. Chapter 2

Pearls POV

It's been a month since they buried my Mother, 5 weeks since they buried my Father, 3 weeks since Gale officially opened his home to the 6 remaining children of victors including Finnick, Cinna and myself. I haven't been outside, it's filled with reporters looking on catching sight of one of us, ask us questions, make entertainment; I hate it. I hate that I have to grow up, hate that I have to look after my brother and tell him stories about his parents, how I have to tell him they are never coming back, hate that I have to break his heart.

Today is the day I had enough, I carefully dressed in the outfit Serenity, Gale's wife, laid out for me; a pink dress with matching shoes and a white cardigan and socks. Once dressed I brushed my hair, put on a white headband and brushed my teeth. Without informing anybody I walked down the stairs and to the front door, I slowly pulled it open and stepped outside receiving flashes and instant excitement from them; the reporters.

"Hello" I pronounce clearly, I hesitate "I have a message for the President; Thank you for ruining my life, aswell as my Brothers and Finnicks, Natalie's, Sunshine's and Raymond's. You murdered our parents to get rid of the hostility of the hunger games, to rid anything that would bring them up. Well I will never forget the hunger games, neither will my Brother or Finnick or any of us. We will tell our children who will tell their children and it will never be forgotten. We will never forget how you murdered our parents from a sick and twisted idea that all the pain will go away, that it will solve a problem; it won't, it still happened, you cannot change the past. You don't know the damage you have caused, do you? All the lives you have ruined. The hunger games will still be taking place if it wasn't for my Mum…" I could feel my eyes watering but I refuse to cry, I have to be strong. I took on my Mums stern voice she use to use "My Mother, the Mockingjay saved you all, she screwed the capital and sacrificed her life on many occasions to help the rebellion, to be their as a role model, to protect people and give them what they need, they deserve. Instead of dying in peace, we can life in peace. That is what she helped fight for. And this is how you thank her; you wait until she has a family, murder her and her love and leave her children to grow up without parents. I think it is_ sick_ what you have done, you have created your own _game_, your own television special. You showed their funeral, you killed them and then showed the public. Why? Did you want to prove you still had power? That is what the Hunger Games were, a reminder of the power the capital had, the government, the President… I don't understand how you could be so heartless to kill people who fought for their lives, fought for their freedom, fought for all children and people everywhere… I don't understand how you could kill them. I don't understand why… I guess I never will, just like the way Cinna will never truly remember much about his parents, only what he see on the TV or what people tell him." I stop, should I continue. A lot of the reporters are crying or are about to cry, maybe they are sorry. After a few minutes of silence I force my voice to come out calm and soft "In the second Hunger Games my Parents were in, my Dad gave my Mum a pearl. After the games and rebellion was over, my Dad gave my Mum me, Pearl. I remember my Dad clearly telling me this was how they named me, I always will remember. Will Cinna? Will Cinna, my 5 year old brother, know why they named him Cinna; will he remember anyone telling him? Does anyone even know?"  
Once again I stopped, I could feel the tears flowing down my cheeks, I couldn't continue, I wouldn't even know what to say. I run back inside and close the front door, instantly getting pulled into a hug by Oak. I wrap my arms around him and cry as he leads me to the settee, I don't register anyone or anything else.

Oak's POV

As soon as Pearl closes the door, I pull her into a hug which she frantically returns as she sobs, I lead her into the living room and sit down with her as my Mum and Dad discuss what she had just done and how it could reflect. I rub circles on her back; my Dad does that to me when I get upset. Apart from that I remain silent; I don't know how to calm down girls or even what to say.

President's POV

He had tears in his eyes watching how much it affected Katniss' daughter; Pearl. He was also slightly worried about the mob growing outside his home, obviously motivated by Pearls speech too. I had to fix this, I can't tell them that we never found the victors bodies in District 13, but I can apologise.

I arrived outside Mr. Hawthorne's House early the next morning, I was standing outside waiting for Pearl to come out as every station on every channel was there recording me. After a few minutes she came out in a baby blue dress that came to her went down to her knees, white shoes and her hair in bunches.

"Hello, you wanted to speak to me?" She asked politely

"Yes, hello, I am President Mann" I introduced and offered my hand. She took it and when I felt her hand in mine I saw how vulnerable she was. How could she get away from some of my best soldiers?

"How may I help you Mr. President" she said politely before adding "Come to take something else I love?"

I was lost for speech, but regained it after a few seconds "I came to apologise, I did not know how much it would affect you"

"Why would you care? You originally ordered you army to kill me aswell, why do my feelings matter? Is it because I lived? Are you actually here to find out how I out-smarted your army?" she asked, still speaking politely and calmly. She wanted to know, this is what scared me, she wanted to know why I did it.

"Ofcorse I care, I love children…" she interrupted me

"You sent your army to kill us, and they did kill some. You had innocent children killed, children that did nothing. You had the grandson of a victor killed, he was just born, a few days old, how could he do anything wrong. He couldn't even talk!" she raised her voice, loud enough to ensure everybody could here clearly, but her eyes show me fear, she's scared.

I lean forward slightly and she shots backwards, her eyes widen in fear, she's scared I'm going to hurt her. "I'm not going to hurt you" I ensure her

"No, your not, you'll just send a whole army into my home in the middle of the night and then show off my body and funeral ripping every piece of me apart. Even without killing me, you've hurt me. You've destroyed my life, my brothers too."

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to." I say honestly

"Can I ask you a favour?" she asks and I nod "Can victors be allowed to live. Can they no longer be viewed as a danger. Can my Mum and Dad be buried as heroes, people who helped during the rebellion and not the end of the hunger games?" I look at her wondering if she knows where her Mum really is, but I can tell by her eyes she doesn't know. "I know… knew some of the victors and they deserve to be respected. I want Cinna to be able to visit a nice grave, where he can sit and be with his Mum and Dad not a dump sight that is forgotten." I nod at her logic

"How old are you?" I ask

"I'm 9 years old, how old are you?" she asks innocently

"I promise, I'll make the graves respectable, they will be known as fallen heroes" I promise

"As angels" she corrects me, I look at her questioningly "I told Cinna that they are now Angels looking after him. That they will always be with him but he can only see them if he closes his eyes, that they will always be in his heart. That they love him"

"As Angels" I repeat

_**Authors' Note**_

_**Thank you for reading, sorry about the grammatical errors and all that.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews, they really make me happy**_

_**Please review and tell me what you thought x**_


	3. Chapter 3

Gale's POV

It was a week after President Mann came and spoke to Pearl that he had a statue of an Angel placed into the grave yard near to where he buried the victors. On the large Angels wings they had every victor's names carved neatly. All 75 names were carved… I was surprised when I saw them, I remember memorising where Katniss' name was to show Pearl; also Peeta's but only the rough location.

The reporters generally left us alone since Pearls conversation with President Mann, I was shocked when they stopped coming by, you do see the odd one taking a picture, but at least now we have space.

It was a week after the statue had been placed that I decided to take everyone to see it.

My wife, Serenity, didn't seem to want to be seen with the victor's children, she seemed ashamed but I just brushed it aside.

So Pearl, Cinna, Oak, Finnick, Cedar, Hazel, Poplar, Elm, Natalie, Sunshine, Raymond and I all started walking at 9am. It took us 45 minutes to get there and once we did we set up the picnic straight away, the victors were buried right near a children's park and large field; this made me slightly mad…

Pearl's POV

I was in the middle of eating a roll when Gale told me he had something to show me, I followed him to the Angel.

"President Mann had this statue placed here in memory of all of the Victors" he informed me

"Really?" I asked shocked

"Yes, come and look at the wing" he led me around to the back and picked me up pointing to one of the many names _Katniss Everdeen_

"My Mum" I grazed my fingers over the name gentle before seeing Finnick name there too "She's above Finick's name!" I exclaimed looking around for other names I knew so I could show Cinna "And there's Annie's" I spotted nearer the top of the wing.

**Two years later**

Pearl age 11 was sitting by the Angel under the sun chatting to Cedar age 12 about the supposed sighting of Johanna.

"She was in District 13, which was completely destroyed. How could she possibly get out?" Pearl asked

"I don't know. Cinna was there too, wasn't he? He got out with Finnick" Cedar reminder her

"Oh yeah. But wouldn't she have, I don't know. Victors aren't under threat anymore, why hasn't see come forward?" she posed

"I'm not sure. Maybe she couldn't, maybe she was afraid it was a trick"

"Why?"

"President Mann said she was dead, and then decided they could live. He would know if they hadn't actually buried them, she must have thought it was a trick to get them to come out. To finally kill them."

"That does make sense. But if she survived, do you think some other did?"

"Maybe, I guess it depends where they were"

Pearl hesitated before saying her next sentence "She was in District 13, with my Mum, Haymitch and Finnicks Mum, Annie"

The silence that followed wasn't awkward but you could tell they were both thinking about the possibility.

"If your Mum was alive, what would you do?" Cedar asked, breaking the silence as he looked towards the sky

"I don't know, I guess I'll be happy. I'll be pissed that's for sure"

Cedar laughed "You'll be pissed?" he asks

"Yes, for not telling me she's alive. Making me raise Cinna, he's so annoying!" she complained making cedar laugh, however when she scowled at him, he started tickling her until she was laughing uncontrollable. "Stop…Stop, oh, please. Cedar…"

Cedar did stop but couldn't stop laughing at her bright red face

"I hate you Cedar!"

"I know!" he laughed before coming suddenly serious "How was it to lose you parents?"

"I guess it must have been similar to when your mum left, but worse. It's like you know they are never going to come back, no matter what you do, it won't work; they're gone." She paused for a moment "It's like loosing yourself, you have to discover who you, change your routine. I had to change my whole life, but I guess I was slightly luckier then some orphans"

"Why?" he asked confused

"I haven't been back to District 12 or had any real reminders of my parents or my life before; I just made myself a new one"

"You tried running away back there. At least 8 times!" he countered lightening the mood

"Trains are so annoying! I hate being recognised, they always ask me a thousand questions" she groaned

"Remember when you broke that mans nose because he told you he enjoyed the hunger games"

"Oh my, YES! He cried! It was so funny; he was like taller then your dad!"

They burst out in laughter, falling onto their backs before deciding to head home and play a prank on Cinna, Elm and Poplar.

What they didn't know, was a certain Victor heard they conversation and held every word to heart memorising the voice and laugh of her daughter…

**Later that day**

"Cadman, If I have to cover your butt once more" Gale threatened entering his home office

"I know, I'm sorry Hawthorne. You know my wife!" Cadman pleaded following him in

"I have had the unfortunate pleasure" he replied walking to his desk and rummaging through some paper work before choosing two thick envelopes "Here, do these two and bring them to me the day after tomorrow. No exceptions or excuses"

"Thank you so much Hawthorne." He thanked

"That's OK, just don't make me do it again. Do you mind letting yourself out? I have some reports I need to write"

"Yes sir. Goodbye" with that Cadman walked out shutting the door on his way.

Suddenly the main office lights flicked on and Gale sees Haymitch, Johanna, Annie and Katniss standing next to his bookshelf. He had instantly help his gun out towards them, he froze staring at the 4 people in front of him, he didn't lower his arm.

"You going to keep that pointed at us all night?" Haymitch asked slightly rudely which made Gale lower it to the table

"What are you? You're alive?" Gale stuttered, utterly shocked

"Where's Finnick, please tell me he's OK?" Annie asked desperately, that's the only person she's asked about in two years

"He's fine, he's probably still at work" Gale replied quietly not trusting his eyes

Haymitch walked over to him a forced him to sit down "Don't want you fainting on us"

The physical touch of Haymitch made Gale snap out of his trance and disbelief as he quickly hunted for some folders. When he found them he brought them to his desk and opened them.

"Are you the only ones alive?"

"Yes, as far as we know" Haymitch said

"Right, let's get a few things finalised then shall me. It's been arranged that as long as you do not commit any murders or manslaughters from when it's signed you are no longer on the hit list and you'll be safe. It's only if you refuse to sign this that it is instant death." Gale began "So, under the law of the capital, any victor and their relations shall be protected under the Act 31076 and Law 4, verse 679, sub section 24. Also any attack on a victor or relation shall result in one whip per physical violent hit and 5 gold fines per insult. As seen in section 18 subsection 65 of Law 9, if any victor starts a fight, they shall be trialled and prosecuted appropriately with no exceptions. If a victors murders or is directly involved in the murder of another person they shall be executed within a week for 'mental and violent behaviour'.

"This is very detailed" Johanna spoke leaning over Gales shoulder "How did you get the President to do this?"

"President Mann took a real liking to Pearl. He actually wanted to adopt her, but she convinced him out of it. Anyway, you all have separate folders; I'd read through it all carefully and sign where appropriate. I'd advice you to stay in here as if you move too suddenly and it has not been reported you co-operate there are certain people who are still allowed to kill you."

Gale handed each person there specific folder and a working pen, trying not to focus too much on Katniss

"Any questions, just ask." He said sitting down at his desk and trying to work.

After a few minutes, Gale noticed that Annie wasn't reading it and went and sat next to her "Annie?"

"Hello Gale" she said pulling herself out of her gaze "How's Finnick?"

"He's fine, you need to read this and sign it before you can see him, can you do that?" he asked

"Yes, will you help, it's rather long" she asked, focusing fully on the folder

"Ofcorse"

_**Authors' Note**_

_**Hello all, thank you so much for reading, I love the response I have received, please tell me what you thought and what you want to happen x**_


	4. Chapter 4

Gales POV

"Finished" Katniss announced quietly, she was the last one to finish

"Great, I'll just have to send of notifications and inform a few people and the peacemakers. It'll only take a couple of minutes" I informed them as I continued the email I was writing. I stood up and collected Katniss' folder silently and imputed her information and agreements into the system. Every remained silent as I did this, it was slightly off-putting. "OK, that's done."

"Can I see Finnick now?" Annie asks suddenly

"I'll have to call him and get him to come here. I don't think it'll be a good idea for any of you to be in public, not yet anyway" I inform them

"We've already been in public" Haymitch laughs "Nobody even noticed us"

"That's because they didn't know you were alive" I informed him whilst picking up my phone and calling Finnick "Hello Fin, can you please come over, as soon as you can please, bye."

"That's my little boy" Annie commented in a dreamy voice

"Did you want to see Cinna and Pearl?" I ask generally, not trusting myself to talk to Katniss directly

"I'd love to see the little ones" Haymitch answers

"Alright, I'm not sure if Pearl is back yet but…" I start getting interrupted by Katniss

"She is, I followed her here"

"Right, no time like the present" I say opening the door and walking out, I look behind me to see them following. I decide to find Cinna first, he's less likely to shout at them.

I walk into the large living room and instantly spot Cinna drawing a butterfly on Elm's math book, I could here Pearl screaming with laughter on the other side of the living, as I look towards her I see Cedar straddling her tickling her sides as she tries to escape. I stop myself smiling as I turn back to Cinna.

"Cinna, come here for a minute" I order him, he stands up and walks over to me

"She asked me to draw a butterfly on her Math book" he defended himself as he approached me, I watched him carefully to see him free on the stop seeing the 4 people standing behind me

"Hello there Cinna" Haymitch says happily.

I keep my eyes focused on him as he takes everything in, finally his eyes find mine; a slight warning, he still trusts me.

"PEARL!" He shouts loudly as he slowly steps back, unsure of what to do, Pearl is at his side within seconds followed closely by Cedar with Elm and Poplar trekking behind to see what's going on.

"So Pearl, Cinna, you remember your Mother; Katniss" I decide to say to brake the ice

"Is she a Mutt?" Cinna asks innocently

"No, I'm not" Katniss speaks quietly

"Why did you abandon me and pearl? Were we bad?" he asks

"You weren't bad, I just had to go away for a short while" she informed him gently kneeling down to his level

"A day is a short while, maybe a week" Cinna whispers to her "Not months or even years"

I watch as Cinna runs up the stair, most likely to his room, Elm and Poplar follow him instantly.

"Nice going" Pearl remarks sarcastically

"Pearl" Katniss starts softly, to my surprise Pearl remains slightly "I…"

"I know why you left, I know why you hid, I know all of that crap. What I don't know is why you didn't contact us, a letter, a phone call or even a sign. Why don't you start by explaining that" she interrupts and orders

"It was too risky"

"No it wasn't, it's just as risky now as it was a month ago, or a year ago. It would be a lot safer to pick up a phone, call us saying 'Hello, I'm alive' hanging up and tossing it into the nearest river"

"I'm…"

"Save it, I have homework to do" Pearl stated harshly and walked off followed by Cedar; I watched her walk out of the front door as Finnick enters.

"What's wrong with…" Finnick starts to ask when he sees them, he freezes.

He tries to work out what's going but isn't given much time as Annie sees him and instantly runs towards him pulling him into a hug

"My boy, my little boy" I faintly hear her say. It takes Finnick a while before he returns hug lightly. I can faintly hear Annie saying something but cannot deviser the words. I'm shocked when I see Finnick pull back and look directly in her eyes and forgave her.

"It's OK Mum, I understand, I don't blame you one bit" He tells her and hugs her again glaring at Haymitch, Johanna and Katniss over her shoulder.

"Gale" Finnick suddenly addresses me, "Would you like me to talk to Pearl or Cinna?"

"You can choose" I reply before making my way upstairs knowing his answer.

Finnicks POV

"I'll see you very soon Mum, I'm just going to talk to Pearl and bring her back here, OK" I tell her, she nods completely focused on me

"How do you know where she is?" Haymitch asks me

"Easy, I understand her" I reply, knowing it was potentially attacking Katniss but not caring as I exit the house and walk to the _angel_

As I approached the Cedar and Pearl, I saw she wasn't actually angry, just upset; this made me stop and think for a second. Should I have been upset too? I shook this feeling away quickly and approached them.

"Hello Fin" They both greeted in unison

"You should give her some slack you know"

"Why?"

"To make it simple; she's your mother"

To my surprise she nodded and stood up from the swing

"Does this mean I need to tell Cinna she's not a Mutt?" she asks seriously with her amusement hidden well, but I can see the glint in her eyes just like Cedar as we begin laughing

"Maybe not straight away"

The three of us walked into Gale's house laughing our heads off at the joke Cedar just told us about a kid from school. As soon as I enter the house, I'm hugged by someone; my mother. This will take a little getting use to.

I look over at Pearl who is slightly laughing at me with Cedar, before walking upstairs ignoring her Mother.

_**Authors' Note**_

_**Thank you all, you are the greatest :D  
Slightly shorter chapter, sorry. Next one will be longer, I promise x  
**_


	5. Chapter 5

Pearl's POV

I walk into my brothers' room to see Gale trying to talk to him with Cinna humming something holding his hands to ears. Gale looks over at me and I indicate him to let me take over surprisingly he gets up and leaves.

I slowly sit on his bed tugging at his arms to move them away from his ears, he slowly opens his eyes and moves his hands down to his lap; I wait for him to talk

"Is she really alive?" he asks timidly

"As far as I can gather, yes"

"Where has she been?"

"In hiding, it wasn't safe for her"

"Does she still love us?"

"Ofcorse she does!" I reply instantly "The best thing she could do for us was to disappear and lets us have a childhood without fear of someone using us to get to her."

"So now it's safe?" he asks and I hesitate answering

"I don't know. Be on alert outside of the house, there will always be people who… think differently"

"So…"

"I think maybe you should go and talk to her, tell her what you've done for the last 2 years. Tell her about school, your reports; show her your drawings and works. Everything" I tell him

"What about you?"

"Your mother has just come back after two years; I think she needs some of your amazing hugs!" I exclaim with fake excitement

Cinna jumps up hugging me quickly before running out of the room with excitement, I follow him at a mellow pace and watch as he jumps on and hugs a much unprepared Katniss. She remains shocked but smiles anyway as he speaks to her about everything, he just talks and talks and talks and talks.

Cedar comes up to me

"Are you alright? Cinna seems happy, what did you tell him?" he asks, looking slightly concerned

"I hate her but Cinna needs a mother; I don't." I turn to walk away being stopped by Cedars hand on my arm; I turn my body to face him keeping my feet planted in the same position

"You do realise everybody heard you right?" he asks slightly amused

"I've always been open about my opinion, you should know that" I reply with a wink before gliding off feeling completely embarrassed, I didn't think anybody else would be listening

Gales POV

"I hate her but Cinna needs a mother; I don't" I heard Pearl say rather loudly and turn along with everyone else in the room to look at in time to see Cedar stop her

"You do realise everybody heard you right?" Cedar asks her

"I've always been open about my opinion, you should know that" She replies smoothly and clearly and wait did she wink at him? Did Pearl wink at Cedar? Is there something going on with them, no there can't be, she's only 11 and he's only 12.

"Gale? Gale? GALE?" someone shouts in my ear, I pull out of my gaze coming face-to-face with Haymitch, I step back

"No need to shout" I state

"Apparently there was, why is Pearl…" he starts

"Like her mother? Stubborn? Maybe being lied to triggered it" I reply slightly annoyed by Haymitch's tone of voice

"Don't you blame this on…" I interrupt him again

"Who should I blame? Myself, I must have realised that giving her and her brother a place to live, a safe place, an education, protect them, stop the president from adopting her or letting any of the Victor children from 'adoption'. I'm sorry I didn't tell her off from expressing her emotions, but as far as I am aware she has not directly insulted anybody, started a fight. I think you should shut your trap until you have all of the information." I tell him

"So what should I do?" he asks sarcastically

"Let her have some time to think things through"

Haymitch grunts but doesn't pursue it any further, it's at this moment I realise Cedar and Finnick have both disappeared.

"Dad, can I have a sandwich please?" Cinna asks me

"Sure, need my help?" I reply

"No thanks, I'll just spread"

Cinna runs off happily, when I turn back to the victors I'm receiving strange looks

"He called you dad?" Haymitch asks me

"He can call me whatever he likes" I reply slightly annoyed with Haymitch, my comment however seems worthy enough to receive a punch in the face by Haymitch. I feel myself stumble backwards.

Katniss' POV

My little boy calls Gale 'Dad'? Does Pearl call him 'Dad' too? How much have I missed of my children's lives? I concentrate back to the scene in front of me when I see Haymitch punch Gale in the jaw, he stumbles back slightly before regaining his balance

"Daddy!" two little girls, younger than Cinna run towards Gale, I watch as Gale bends down hugging them closely

"Daddy, that mean man punched!" one of them exclaims loudly

"Don't worry sweetie, he's an old acquaintance" Gale assures them, he's defending him

"But hitting people is wrong" the same one applied

"But he is old!" the other one comments

"Hey! I'm not that old!" Haymitch comments making both the girls jump and cling onto Gale tightly "I'm not going to hurt you" Haymitch tries to reassure them.

The girls spin around with a determined look upon their faces and say in unison

"We don't like you!"

"Girls, that is a rude thing to say" Gale says but without heart

"Sorry Daddy"

"I'm Haymitch" Haymitch introduces, obviously thinking their apology was sincere

"I'm Poplar and that's Elm"

"And we don't want to talk to a drunken victor"

They both turn back to Gale

"Can we have a sandwich please?"

"Cinna is already in there, ask him to help you. If he's busy come and get me" gale replies as they both run to the kitchen

I should say something, ask something, I need to know about my children, but what do I need to know, everything? Will there be things I don't want to know? What if Pearl won't forgive me? Should I have contacted them? There has been opportunity…

Someone touched my shoulder which brought me out of my thoughts as I heard '…niss'. It was Haymitch, he glanced towards Annie before looking back at me, he thinks I'm going crazy

"Sorry, what did you say?" I ask leaning forward slightly

"What do you think about Cinna calling Gale _Dad_?" he asks, expecting me to hate it, to shout

"Technically he is a dad" I reply causing Haymitch to stare at me

"Do you seriously not care that he's corrupted your sons mind?" he asked

"Oh shut up" I shout "Will you stop trying to push my buttons, I am not mad at Gale! So shut up and be grateful for him helping your sorry ass and letting you stay in his house!"

Haymitch just stared at me with his mouth wide open; he was shocked.

Behind him someone was chuckling, as I looked up I saw Gale trying to contain his laughter, obviously amused at how Haymitch's plan backfired on him.

When Gale caught me looking at him, he cleared it throat and calmed down instantly.

"So, do you need a place to stay? I have some free rooms" he offered, I nodded my head once and followed him up the stairs pulling Annie to guide her up aswell.

_**Authors' Note  
Thank you for reading x  
Whose POV do you want?  
All reviews are very welcome x**_


	6. Chapter 6

Gales POV

I wake up to shouting and quickly make my way down to the source of it; Pearl and Haymitch seem to be having a fight with most of the household there too in the living room.

"What's going on here?" I shout loudly making Pearl stop instantly but not Haymitch who continues to _insult _her

"…silly girl, you don't know what you are talking ab…"

"SHUT UP HAYMITCH" I shout louder making him stop and glare at me, I talk more softly as I address the question "What is going on?"

"Haymitch said he and the other victors only came here to collect us, I am not going anywhere with him" she informed me

"Right" I say slowly trying to process what she said they want to just collect them?

"You're not going to make me go are you?" Pearl asks

"Pearl" I start as I kneel down to her level "You, aswell as your brother, will always have a room here. If you want to stay here and live under my roof and rules you are more then welcome"

I watch as her face lightens up as she jumps towards me wrapping me in a tight hug "Thank you"

"No problem little one" I reply with a smirk as I know she hates being called little, I'm acknowledged with a glare as she releases me

"Evil man" she calls me before her eyes turn curious "Why do you have a bruise on your face?" she asks as she inspects my face

"Haymitch" I mumble before thinking only to see Pearls eyes darken considerably "Don't" I warn her quietly

"You can't be serious, they're coming with us whether you like it or not. See is their mother, you can't change that" Haymitch almost shouts indicating behind to where Katniss was standing

"I don't think that would matter Haymitch" I reply dangerously

"Why? You can't do anything" he threatens back

"If they want to stay, they are more then welcome, you on the other hand are to leave by tonight" I inform him before taken deep breaths to control my emotions

"And I'm staying, and so is Cinna!" Pearl announces loudly

"Yes, I'm staying with Pearl!" Cinna suddenly appears from behind the sofa and runs to hug Pearl who keeps one arm around him

Everything seems surreal as I watch all my children and the victors children stand up and move towards my side; all except Finnick Jr who is sitting in the dinning room with his mother Annie.

"I think it's time you leave now" Elm stated towards Haymitch

"So leave now you old drunk" Poplar adds

"It's obvious you are not wanted" Elm states

Pearls POV

As the twins tell Haymitch to leave, I watch as my Mums eyes sadden as she watches the scene unfold in front of her; she was drawing with Cinna when Haymitch mentioned leaving to go to a proper home to one of the younger victor children. She hadn't moved, only stood up, that made me hate her even more, she didn't do anything. Still now she stands their, doing nothing, not defending anyone, no opinion at all.

"Katniss, what do you think?" I raise my voice to ensure it reaches her over the talking, it does and everybody stops to listen, she doesn't answer "Why did you really come here?"

"I…" she starts by looks down instead of answering

"Come on, are you following the old drunks orders? Do you want to take your children back? Where have you been for the last two years? Why did you fake your own death? How did you live? Did you completely ignore us because you wanted to or because you had to? Why did you come here? Do you even care about what you are putting Cinna through?" I stop asking questions when I notice a tear roll down her check only to say the meanest thing I could think off "I guess I'm not the little girl you were expecting to come back to" before storming off up to my bedroom.

I heard somebody following me, wait more then one person, I didn't care I carried on to my room leaving the door open so they could follow me in. As I jump onto the bed and turn around I see Cedar, Cinna, Poplar and Elm all follow me and climb onto the bed aswell

"Is Mum evil?" Cinna asks, such a simple question, with such a complicated answer, one I just couldn't answer, so I didn't.

"Does anyone know how dad got that bruise?" Cedar randomly asked breaking the silence

"That old drunk punched him!" Poplar exclaimed angrily

"If anyone is evil, the old drunk is!" Elm exclaimed with conviction afterwards

"We need to get Katniss alone, she won't speak with the old drunk around and we need to do it soon" I said as a plan started to develop

"But how?" Cedar asked as I felt myself give him a dark and cunning smile "I'm not going to like this am I?"

No POV

2 hours later

"Old drunk, I bet you can't catch me" Poplar shouted at Haymitch hitting him on the arm before running a short distance away

"Yeah, Old drunk, come and get me, I dare you" Elm challenged

"I can get you within 2 seconds" he said dismissively

"Prove it" they both replied

Haymitch jumped up causing the twins to run quickly to the back yard, as soon as Haymitch stepped outside the door closed and was locked with out him noticing as he chased the two 6 year olds.

Cinna, who locked the door, gave the signal and kept guard as Cedar and Pearl approached Katniss

"It's time for some answer" Pearl said sitting on the table opposite Katniss with cedar

"Don't worry both Annie, Johanna and Haymitch are pre-occupied"

"So why did you come here?"

"We found a secure place to stay, away from _them_" she informed us truthfully "We were going to just quickly collect you, make it look like you ran away or something, but when Johanna was spotted, we knew they'd suspect something and start the search even more thoroughly."

"So you came and made nicey-nice with Gale" Pearl interrupted

"Yes" Katniss replied solemnly

"I'm going to guess that was the old drunks' idea" Cedar asked

"Yes, I didn't want to involve him or his children"

"Technical I am classed as one of Gale's children as he is my guardian" Pearl points out

"Where have you been and why did you choose now to come back?" Cedar asks changing the subject

"We have been mainly in the woods between 12 and 13, looking for a suitable place, after a couple of month we went back to district 13 and found some refugee camps. They were at the outskirts of the district, near to the woods; it was where the people of 13 originally hid before creating the compound. They are all safe…"

Pearl once again interrupted her "You don't expect Cinna and I to leave our cosy, safe and educational home to live in an underground dirty shelter do you? That's child abuse!" she exclaimed shocked

"Haymitch…" Katniss tried explaining again with no luck

"Should've guessed it would've been the old drunks idea" she snorted and stood up just as Gale walked in

"What's going on in here then?" he asked

"It seems that the victors came here to collect us and then take us to an abandoned shelter on district 13 away from all life" Pearl informed simply before dropping onto the opposite settee with a _humph_

Just as Gale was about to respond something or someone started banging on the back door; they could here a mixture of angry grunts and girlish giggling.

Later that day Gale ordered all 4 victors to remain behind after dinner and sent the children up to their bedrooms

Pearls POV

After dinner Gale sent us all up to our rooms, half way up the stairs I stopped Cinna,

"You are to sleep in Poplar and Elms room OK, make sure you stay with them at all times. We don't want to give anyone the opportunity to get us alone, OK" I ordered him

"OK Pearl" he hugged me before resuming to walk upstairs, however this time we both turned right instead of left, I watched him walk into the twins' room before I went into an unexpected Cedars room who grabbed his once discarded top in a silly attempt to cover himself up

"You could have knocked" he exclaimed discarding his top again

"Sorry" I apologised before jumping on his bed as he collected his pyjamas and indicated for me to turn around which I did instantly

"So what brings you to my lair?" he asked whilst changing

"Just wondering if I could sleep in here" I confessed instantly

"Why?" he asked curiously as he sat down on the bed now dressed,

I turned around to face him wearing some of the pyjamas I brought him for his last birthday "I don't want to give them the opportunity to kidnap me in my sleep. Therefore I can't sleep in my room and have to have a body guard" I informed him as if it were obvious

"Ofcorse, get changed into pyjamas then, we'll play a game or something"

"OK" I said jumping off his bed and hunted his wardrobe for some of my pyjamas, after finding a matching set I told him to turn around as I changed "I still don't understand why you always seem to change into pyjamas after dinner" I informed him

"I still don't understand why my wardrobe is half filled with your clothes" he confessed

"I'll answer your question, if you answer mine" I tease, we both knew the answers. He use to go bed after dinner when his mum use to tuck him in when he was really young, when she left he started changing into his pyjamas straight after dinner as a reminder of all she did for him. His wardrobe was half filled with my clothes because I ran out of room in my wardrobe and he had plenty, so I took it upon myself to declare it our wardrobe.

"Instead lets play dares" he suggested and I felt myself grin until he added "they have to stay in this room though" where I physically groaned

"Fine, make it boring. You first"

"I dare you to… run around the room waving your arms above you"

I laughed before standing up and running around his large room waving my arms above my head for a good minute before jumping on the bed

"My turn, I dare you to… let me put lipstick on you" I said already going into his wardrobe as he groaned dramatically. When I got back I took my time making sure his lips were perfectly red.

"I dare you to…" he started before looking at me, _uh oh _I thought, I knew that look. He launched his self on me and began kissing me all over the face smudging the lipstick all over my face

"Stop… oh my… stop… please… I give … Cedar… stop…. Please" I begged as he began to tickle me instead "This… is… so… not… fair!" I moaned

He didn't stop, 5 minutes later I was shaking so much from laughter I was crying, I was all screaming for him to stop

Suddenly the door threw itself open revealing Katniss and Haymitch with concerned looks upon their faces, Gale appeared a few seconds later quite amused.

"What's going on in here?" Haymitch asked glaring at Cedar

I mustn't be a good image, Cedar straddling me with lipstick smudged around his face and me with lipstick smudges all over my face and tears streaming down my face

"Haven't you heard of knocking?" Cedar asked, keeping his cool, which was enough to set me off into another stream of laughter

Katniss ended up retreating after realising I wasn't in any danger; Gale had to give Haymitch a little pull before he stalked away. Gale gave us a pleased smile at our performance as it obviously annoyed Haymitch.

As soon as the door closed, we both burst out of laughter as he rolled off me, we laid their side by side for minutes laughing before finally being able to calm down enough to breath

_**Authors' Note  
Thank you for reading x  
All reviews welcome and most appreciated x  
Sorry it took so long to update; exams  
Hopefully the longer length helped x**_


	7. Chapter 7

Gale's POV

In the middle of the night I was awoken by a scream, I ran to the source and was instantly shocked by what I saw. Oak and Hazel were running towards Haymitch and Johanna trying to get Cinna, who was crying and Sunshine who looked confused away from the adults who were trying to take them. Pearl was standing outside Cedar's room with Cedar and Natalie. I bent down to their level and whispered "Hide". All three of them instantly disappeared.

"What are you doing?" I demand an answer

"Taking the children" Haymitch retorted right away. Oak punches Haymitch in the balls causing him to let go of Cinna, mainly out of shock. Before Haymitch go to grab Cinna again, Oak has pulled him into his room and probably into hiding as well.

"They are staying, you can't force them to go anywhere!" I inform him harshly taken a few confident steps forward, to my surprise Johanna realises Sunshine before approaching me

"There's nothing you can do" she threatened

"Actually there is, first of all, none of you are the biological parents of Sunshine, Natalie or Raymond, therefore you cannot take them regardless. Secondly, if Haymitch had carried Cinna out of the house, it would still be classified as kidnapping as he isn't his biological father. Where is Katniss?"

Neither of them answered, which was very worrying, why wouldn't they answer. I push past them to the room I allocated for Katniss, she isn't there, instead there's a note with two simple words, 'find me'.

"Where is she?" Haymitch asks from behind, I turn and smile

"You'll never know, now out of my house!" I order with as much authority as I can

Haymitch glares but soon decides it's in his best interest to leave, using the excuse that there's no liquor for him to drink here, I gladly showed him and Johanna to the door making sure to securely shut it.

Pearl's POV

Hiding in Cedar's secret spot wasn't as fun when there was a real reason to use it, we both sat their side by side, staring at the wall. Waiting. We were waiting for a sign that it was safe, or to run. I hate waiting. It doesn't bring back good memories, waiting to hear from my parents and Cinna, only to have lost my father, and then waiting again only to lose my mother…. Now I'm waiting again, this time I have more to lose. Just has I feel my breathing increasing uncontrollably, the wall opens and suddenly I'm not breathing at all, simply waiting to see who it is.

As Gales face appeared both Cedar and I instantly relaxed "Come on you two, meeting in the lounge" he informed us with a small smile

Cedar and I decided to race there even though he usually wins, but it's still great fun, although it probably wasn't the best idea at the time. We both got down to see Cinna, Poplar and Elm all still in tears. I instantly go over to Cinna and pull him into a hug, I didn't know why he was so shaken up until I saw my mum standing in the corner of the room, looking rather out-of-place. I couldn't help but send a glare towards her.

Katniss's POV

After Gale had found me, he told me that he was going to talk to everyone in the lounge, surprisingly I was the first there, so Gale must have got me first. Everyone else began coming down slowly, Cinna started crying again when he saw me. He was soon comforted by Pearl after she came racing down the stairs with Cedar, the glare she sent me made me feel like everything was my fault. I've let her and Cinna down.

Thankfully I wasn't left to my thoughts for too long when Gale came down with Annie and Finnick.

Gale's POV

As soon as I came down, I instantly had everyone's full attention, all the children seem to be waiting for bad new, Katniss looked like she lost everything and Annie was just smiling at me like I had all the answers.

"I know tonight has been filled with events, I shall meet with all of you individually tomorrow to discuss any issues you have. Please stay away from Haymitch and Johanna, if you see them or they try to talk or approach you, come straight back here, also please stay with someone else when not in the house, only until this situation is sorted, I'll keep you all updated" I say clearly, they all nod before walking to the stairs and their rooms.

**Author's Note:**

**Thank you for reading, reviews appreciated highly **

**So, so, so sorry I haven't updated in a long time, I didn't realise how much University would impact my spare time. I promise I will update regularly from now on until it's completed.**

**Also sorry it's shorter then my previous chapters**


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